"I feel crazy, hope is hazy right now but I won't freak out,
I won't freak out at the sound of the
Landslide inside, fear wants to take my peace of mind.
Won't run, won't hide, I will lift my hands up high.
In my trouble I have doubled my prayers
Because I need them, I need them like I need the air..."--Seven Places, Landslide

I'm still struggling with worries over the outcome of this election, which I guess shows my lack of faith in the sovereignty of God. I truly believe He has it all in control, no matter who the winner is-- but I'm just having trouble remembering that. At least I'm not quite as bad as the girl who called Sean Hannity the other day, sobbing about her election fears. "Darlin', you've gotta have faith!" Sean admonished kindly.

To quote (and incidentally, Michael posted this BEFORE the Red Sox historic World Series win: "Nothing happens by chance. This is the bedrock of confidence Christians have available to them as soon as it's realized. John Kerry could win the Presidency (he won't) the Red Sox could lose (they won't) but insofar as God's Kingdom is concerned, even the most dire or trivial of human events are not meaningless or purposeless, but rather foster faith when we're disadvantaged, and peace when we're not. We don't require intricate knowledge of the details, we only require to know God's work in these days can only fulfill His ultimate plan which has already been revealed in His Word; God works to accomplish the glorification of Himself, and joy to his followers.

"So bring it on. The Church can survive because God has secured it eternally through the death of his Son, Jesus the Christ, and the Red Sox will win because they rock."

OK, let's take a break from the hand-wringing and agonizing over the upcoming election, and share a good recipe.

I made chili the other night, and got good reviews from hubby, friend Ray, and Chad, the teenaged boy who lives with us. But I could have made this wonderfully delicious, warming and filling yet low-fat soup recipe given to me by my friend Esther. I've made, and enjoyed it several times. Add a salad, a bag of tortilla chips and/or a pan of steaming cornbread, and you've got yourself a great autumn meal.

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Because it's my blog and I think Hannity rocks, and because I love how he's been all over this story about the missing munitions and how CBS was planning to use it as an "October Surprise" against Bush.

He's not too hard on the eyes, either.

I've said all along that I don't blog much about politics, because there are so many bloggers who can do it so much better. I keep discovering blogs I didn't know existed before, but appear to be goldmines of political info from a conservative viewpoint.

Did anyone else see John MacArthur and Max Lucado on Larry King Live last night? They were up against Barry Lynn, the Reverend Jesse Jackson and an obviously liberal Catholic priest. I caught only the last ten minutes or so, but I thought MacArthur and Lucado both acquitted themselves well.

MacArthur's Grace to You is, in my humble opinion, one of the very finest Christian radio shows around. And I don't think I'm biased because my friend Phil Johnson is executive director of the Grace to You radio ministry.

Phil also heads the Spurgeon Archive, the largest collection of Charles Haddon Spurgeon resources on the Internet. And he's a Chicago Cubs fan, so you gotta love him.

Now, if I can only...

...stop stressing out about this election and leave its outcome in the hands of the Lord, I'll be all right. But easier said than done, I'm afraid.

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Dr. Richard Ragsdale has gone to meet his Maker. Rockford's only abortionist, operator of the Northern Illinois Women's Center since 1973, was 69. He far outlived the thousands of human lives that were cut off prematurely at his hands.

Judy Emerson's article about Ragsdale's passing, in the Rockford Register Star today, paints Ragsdale as a hero--a dedicated doctor, a skilled clinician with a deep belief in women's rights.

No mention, of course, of the thousands of babies who were denied a chance at life because of the doctor's so-called deep commitment to the "rights" of their mothers.

I am deeply pro-life, although it's not a conviction that has heretofore prompted me to get out and actively protest. To be honest, I cringe when I see the pro-lifers who feel they're getting their message across with graphic, gory posters. I'm sorry, but I don't think very many people are listening to them.

Much more effective, in my view, is the work of agencies like the Rockford Area Pregnancy Care Center. These people are fighting abortion by showing love and compassion, by educating and helping. And I do believe the vast majority of pro-life people are good people who value and cherish human life, not wild-eyed, fire-bombing fanatics.

But I must assert today that Dr. Richard Ragsdale was not a hero. Eternity will bear testimony to his real legacy; I believe he is already discovering what that real legacy was, indeed.

And I wonder how many abortion doctors are really laboring in their grisly business out of a heart of deep commitment to helping women and making sure their rights are protected. I suspect that it has a lot more to do with the fact the abortion industry is an extremely lucrative business.

Frankly, I think my own ob/gyn is doing much more to help women just by guiding them through nine months of pregnancy and safely delivering their healthy babies.

I'm sorry. I can't shed a tear for Dr. Richard Ragsdale today...although I should be shedding tears for his mortal soul.

I am crying for thousands of human lives who were cut off...no, who were killed...who were murdered...at the Northern Illinois Women's Center.

Monday, October 25, 2004

John Kerry today is saying he loves his wife's outspokenness, and that Teresa Heinz Kerry just "misspoke" when she said Laura Bush had probably never had a "real job."

Hey, wait just a minute--any woman who is raising children has a REAL JOB.

I've worked outside the home for much of my married life--although when my children were small, I only worked a few hours a day--and I've often been faintly envious of stay-at-home moms. I think I may have sometimes labored under the misconception that these women could afford to stay home because their husbands had such nice fat paychecks, they could live quite comfortably without the extra income.

I, on the other hand, had to work outside the home if my family was to keep body and soul together and food on the table.

What a blanket generalization! I've since come to realize that many stay-at-home moms are able to maintain that status through an immense amount of blood, sweat and ingenuity. They clip coupons. The buy in bulk. They sew clothes for themselves and their kids. They forgo expensive vacations and tend not to eat out very much. Yep, they actually make sacrifices because they believe their children are the most important thing in the world.

They also have the good sense to realize that sometimes, working outside the home just isn't worth it. The day care provider that they would hand their baby over to for nine hours a day, the extra gasoline and car upkeep for the vehicle they'd have to use, the many fast food meals when they would be just too exhausted to cook--not to mention the wardrobes needed for an office job--would eat up such a huge chunk of their salary that the actual bring-home would be negligible!

I've seen the anguish of a young mom who, when the six week's paid maternity leave wears off, had to drop off at a sitter that precious baby they've fallen madly in love with. I've known of moms who sent their child to school knowing they were probably too sick to go, but fear of an irate employer kept them from staying home to nurse their ailing child.

Honestly, I was fortunate. Although it meant being broke most of the time, I stayed home for the first full year of my children's lives, and only worked part-time while they were small. Then, a family member who loved them dearly was their sitter for a while. And I worked for a Christian organization with bosses who actually told me, "Your family is the most important thing," and never made me feel guilty for skipping work to take care of a sick baby.

My children are now grown, well-adjusted young people who emerged unscathed from having a working mom. I believe you can work outside the home and still raise healthy, happy children. And I believe many women don't have a choice about working outside the home. But if you've made the decision to stay home with those children and be an active part of their every waking moment, you are doing a great thing, and my hat's off to you. God bless you.

I got an e-mail today with this quote from Jill Savage, the director of Hearts at Home: "“On behalf of mothers at home everywhere, I want to remind the world and Teresa Heinz Kerry that motherhood is a valid profession in and of itself. Even if Laura Bush had never worked as a librarian or school teacher, it would not have indicated that she had anything less to offer to our country as a first lady. Motherhood is a ‘real job’ that requires courageous leadership strategies and excellent management skills. A woman in the profession of motherhood is simply applying her education, her experience, and her energy to the nurturing of her family. And that is a valid career choice that equips women to offer much to their families, their communities, and their world.”

Amen, Jill!

I was such a domestic diva over the weekend...

I cleaned out a closet. I made a big batch of Weight Watchers' Garden Vegetable Soup (no points!) On Sunday morning I put a roast in the crock pot, along with potatoes and carrots, and it turned out delicious. I even made gravy with a bay leaf in it like my mom did when I was growing up.

But this is really going to impress you:

I made my own lotion.

Well, before you get the image of me in a pioneer dress and apron, slaving over a big pot of lanolin or something, it was as simple as throwing some ingredients together and blending them thoroughly with my mixer.

Credit goes to my sister Bev for this. One of her co-workers gave the office ladies this lotion for Christmas, in cute little apothecary jars with a pretty ribbon wrapped around the jar.

Bev ended up making the lotion herself and giving it to me and my sister and my mom, and I'm hooked on the stuff. I use lotion like it's going out of style, anyway...I'm constantly slathering it on, and although I love Bath and Body Works, it can get expensive.

So when I used the last drop of the stuff Bev had given me, I decided to make a batch myself. Here you go:

Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until it's light and fluffy.

I put some of this in the apothecary jar Bev had given me, but I also used a funnel to put some in container tubes that you can buy empty at Wal-Mart in the travel products section, so I have some in my purse, my kitchen, my bathroom and my bedroom, and Liz has her own tube. It makes a lot!

A neat thing happened...

There are so many things that happen all around us these days that make us think, "Yep, society is hopeless and the world is going to hell in a basket."

But then something happens that restores your faith a bit, if not in human nature, at least in basic human kindness.

Elizabeth and I went to Logli's (a local grocery store) Saturday afternoon. Just as we were getting out of the car, I heard a blood-curdling cry: "OH MY GOD!!!" followed by, "Get that guy, get that guy, get that guy!"

The source of the screaming was the proverbial "little old lady," one parking aisle over. I saw her trudging along with great difficulty, screaming for help. A young man was running with lightning speed across the parking lot, heading for the residential neighborhood just beyond, a purse tucked under his arm like a football...running for all he was worth.

The next thing I saw was a young black man wearing bright gold basketball shorts, zooming across the parking lot in pursuit of the purse snatcher. The bad guy had a good lead on him, but I gasped to Liz: "I think he's going to catch him!"

The next thing I was aware of was people running from all corners of the parking lot, also chasing the purse snatcher.

And you know what? The young black man CAUGHT him. (By the way, I mention his color only because the often-assumed, often-biased supposed order of things was not true here. The purse snatcher was white.)

By the time Liz and I had picked up our few items, we had to pass the yard where the police had arrived and were talking to the young black man and the "little old lady." Both had broad smiles on their faces. The purse-snatcher was apparently safely tucked away in the paddy-wagon.

Liz said, "Mom, isn't that cool? That guy took off running without once stopping to think about his own personal safety. He just saw that someone needed help, and he helped!"

Friday, October 22, 2004

Go to Redeem the Vote to see video of Jim Caviezel talking about the importance of voting.

Writer Talks About WritingI'm really enjoying the blogs of some my favorite writers, including Linda Hall's. As someone with aspirations to write fiction, it's helpful for me to glean wisdom from these writers.

Linda blogs about writing fiction as ministry: "Yes, writing novels is my ministry, but cooking dinner is my ministry, and so is doing laundry and writing thank you cards and singing in church and having coffee with a friend at Starbucks and writing emails and teaching my fiction class at the university and writing my (so-called) secular mystery short stories and even writing in this blog. These are ministry. My whole life is ministry. Everything I do is, or should be acts of worship to God."

Good words. I was also interested to see that Linda doesn't outline her novels in detail before writing them: "I have to start writing and then let the story take me where it will. The one I’m finishing up today began with a line – one line flitted into my thinking and I wrote it down:
‘Rose’s mother died by climbing to the top of the lighthouse and throwing herself off.’
That’s all I had. And the only way I was going to get more was to begin writing."

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Just thought I'd let you in on some things I'm really liking right now:
SINGLE: Mark Schultz's Running Just to Catch Myself from his Stories and Songs album. This tune isn't even released to radio, but a listener called in and requested it. Darren Marlar and I instantly fell in love with this clever, fast-paced day-in-the-life portrait of a harried businessman.

Andrea Bocelli's Sogno. Yes, the CD is not his most recent, but Justin discovered it at the library a few years ago, and Elizabeth recently bought it. This man's achingly beautiful voice touches a chord in my very soul. This CD is also the one that contains his gorgeous duet with Celine Dion, "The Prayer"...my favorite version.

The Phantom of the Opera--I fell in love with the Broadway musical after seeing a touring production in Chicago last spring. I'm curious to see what Hollywood will do with it...the movie is out December 22nd.

Les Miserables--I can't believe I never discovered this gorgeous music until Elizabeth's speech teacher played the class a DVD of a 10th anniversary concert of musical highlights of the play. Liz immediately bought an original cast recording, but its one fault is that it doesn't have Lea Salonga in the role of Eponine. Lea's voice is absolutely lovely. We rent the DVD occasionally, but we really must buy it. The full cast, backed up by an enormous choir and orchestra, singing "One Day More" is chill-inducing (in a good way!)

Tuesday, October 19, 2004

So, Darren Marlar mentioned on 101QFL this morning that today is "Greasy Spoon Day," and invited listeners to call in with their favorite local greasy spoon restaurants.

We were flooded with callers letting us know about these often little-publicized, often out-of-the-way, sometimes hole-in-the-wall, usually Mom-and-Pop operations that serve incredibly delicious food.

Which is what we meant by "greasy spoon." But apparently the common definition is not nearly so flattering.

Like this one from hyperdictionary.com:
"a small restaurant specializing in short-order fried foods."

Or this one: "The American Heritage dictionary defines a Greasy Spoon as 'a small, inexpensive, often unsanitary restaurant.' The term 'greasy spoon' speaks to careless dishwashing practices, hence grease on the cutlery."

Well, our aim is to give a prize to Rock River Valley's Best Greasy Spoon, but with those definitions, it's doubtful any eating establish would be proud to hang up a plaque with that designation.

So, what do we call it? Obviously not "Greasy Spoon." The places we unearthed in our search are definitely clean and definitely don't cook everything in gallons of lard.

"Out of the way hole in the wall under-publicized eatery with incredibly delicious food"? That's a bit of a mouthful...pun not intended. :)

Any suggestions would be welcome.

By the way, my favorite out-of-the-way-hole-in-the-wall-under-publicized eatery with incredibly delicious food is Giuseppi's, tucked behind the Walgreen's at North Main. The thick-crust pizza is out of this world, and my husband swears by the Chicken Parmagiana.

We have been eating at, or ordering delivery from, Giuseppi's for over 25 years. We ate there the day before I gave birth to Jonathan, who is going on 25 now.

The lady who answers the phone for delivery orders recognizes my voice. The delivery guy compliments me when I get a new hairdo or have lost a few pounds. The waitresses ask about the kids when Doug and I go alone. The owners still have Italian accents.

The dining room is too small and crowded, and the decor mainly consists of pictures of the Roman forum and placemats featuring maps of Italy.

The food is insanely good, and I'll take it over the big pseudo-Italian chain restaurants any day.

Wow...it's almost lunchtime and I've done gone and made myself hungry.

How about you? Do you have a favorite not-so-greasy spoon? Tell me about it. :)

From Culture Clips: QUOTE: "[I, along with other African-Americans,] cheered when 9/11 happened. ... When the planes hit the building, we were like, 'Mmmm—justice.' [It] doesn't affect us, the hip-hop community; 9/11 happened to them, not us. ... [It happened to] the rich ... those who are oppressing us, RCA or BMG, Universal, the radio stations. ... America has to commit suicide if the world is to be a better place." —rapper KRS-One (Kris Parker) [Knight Ridder, 10/14/04]

Friday, October 15, 2004

I'm always one to try to expand my recipe repertoire--it's so easy to get into a rut of making the same stuff over and over again!--and I'm always one to want to try to increase readership of my blog.

Hopefully, my entry into the Carnival of Recipes will do both. A lady named Beth Donovan hosts the Carnival, and it looks like there are some terrific recipes there. By the way, I love the name of her blog--"She Who Will Be Obeyed." :)

Anyway, I entered the recipe I just blogged about the other day, for French Toast Casserole. Just absolutely, ridiculously delicious.

Finally got my website updated...

If you haven't checked out my website yet, please take a few moments to do so. I'm not as faithful about updating the site as I am my blog, partly because most of the stuff remains fairly stationery on there, but I do keep it pretty up to date.

Many thanks to my friend Don Elbourne for designing my site and teaching me what little I know about HTML.

It's Friday!!!!

And time, of course, for the Friday Feast quiz. Answer the questions here on my comments section, or on your own blog!

Appetizer What is your favorite beverage?--I have seasonal favorites, like Sonic Cherry Limeades, mulled apple cider and pumpkin spice cappucino. But the one constant? Coke Classic.

SoupName 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.--A 101QFL mug full of writing utensils. A Thomas Kinkade mousepad with Psalm 23:2 ("He leads me beside still waters") on a scene of a country brook. Stacks of papers I have to sort through.

Salad On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?--Nine? I wish I could say 10, but that wouldn't be honest, either.

Main Course If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?--I would change the name of Paw Paw, Illinois, to ANYTHING ELSE. (What were their town fathers thinking?)

Dessert What stresses you out?--Deadlines...finances...time crunches...

What calms you down?--Soothing music, like Mike Kellogg's Music Through the Night on Radio 91.

Wednesday, October 13, 2004

I haven't blogged much about the election, mainly because I figured there are so many bloggers out there who are doing it so much better than I could. Honestly, I can't add much more than a feeble squeak to the roaring din of pundits and pollsters, so I'll leave it to them.

But I will admit, I have worried about the election. I look at the growing division between two major segments of America, and it disturbs me. But as a conservative Christian, and having looked at the issues that concern me, I have to cast my vote for George W. Bush.

However, when all is said and done, my worrying is in vain. I love the prayer Will Samson posted in his blog the other day.

"...Presidents come and go, nations rise up and fade away, but the love of Jehovah is forever."

What a terrific and timely reminder that everything is under the control of the great and loving Sovereign of the universe.

Daniel Bedingfield a Christian

I had heard Delilah, who is an outspoken Christian, talk about being friends with British singer Daniel Bedingfield, but I didn't realize he is also a believer.

Bedingfield knocked me out with his gorgeous If You're Not the One. I had heard that he was recently in a severe car accident from which he is, fortunately recovering.

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Strange...I don't usually think of myself as a "housewife," but I guess I am one. I'm married, and the lion's share of caring for household matters falls to me. Merriam-Webster defines housewife as "a married woman in charge of a household."

I enjoy being married and being a mom, but I must admit, I've wrestled with the whole idea of being a housewife. Since I've worked outside the home much of my married life, I've often felt like being a great housewife was an ideal I couldn't hope to attain.

I'm domestically inclined enough that I love surveying a clean, cozy house, and a compliment on my cooking warms me through and through. But I've often thought that keeping my domicile spic-n-span on a regular basis is a virtual impossibility, and I feel like I'm making progress if I get the Mount Everest of laundry in my basement down to a modest foothill.

But, yes, I am a housewife. And now suddenly it seems I'm part of a group that's getting a lot of media attention.

This from Culture Clips: "'More than 40 years after June Cleaver, TV has again discovered the American housewife. She may wish it hadn't.' —Time magazine's James Poniewozik, writing about the potential cultural damage being caused by such new shows as Desperate Housewives, Wife Swap (both on ABC), Trading Spouses (Fox) and How Clean Is Your House? (Lifetime). He ended his article by quipping, "'Meet the TV women of fall 2004: damned if they dust; damned if they don't' [Time, 10/4/04]"

I haven't seen "Desperate Housewives." Everything I've read about it so far indicates that it would be a waste of my time as a Christian--doesn't look like there's anything edifying there, and nothing to justify it as worthwhile entertainment.

So maybe June Cleaver was a myth--zipping around vacuuming her spotless house in her shirtwaist and pearls, never having to juggle taking care of Ward, Wally and the Beave with the harrying demands of an outside job--an impossible standard for today's housewife to live up to.

But something inside of me wistfully yearns for that more innocent and less complicated time. Even the time of my growing-up years, when I came home from school to a clean house, supper in the oven and a beautiful mom.

I can't be a perfect housewife. I can make a darn good beef stew, though, and I can try to greet my family with a smile, even if I'm wearing sweats instead of a shirtwaist and pearls.

I just discovered it recently; do check it out if you haven't. LaShawn is delightful, lovely, brainy, funny, a terrific writer and a conservative Christian. I would love to sit down with her over a cup of coffee.

Anyway...LaShawn blogs about Christopher Reeve's passing, saying she wasn't a big Superman fan but did like him in Somewhere in Time.

That does it. I have to rent this movie. It has been recommended to me over the years by so many people.

Not long ago, on the morning show on 101QFL, Darren Marlar noted that it was "Crying in Your Popcorn Movie Night," or something like that. So we asked listeners to call in with their favorite tearjerking movies.

Of course, Somewhere in Time was mentioned frequently, and no one could believe I haven't seen it.

So, enough already. I'll see it, I'll see it!

BTW, if you're interested, here are the other movies that people called in:

THE WOMEN SUGGESTED:

o Somewhere in Time--I haven't seen it
o Terms of Endearment
o Untamed Heart--I haven't seen it
o An Affair to Remember--I haven't seen it
o Ghost
o Sleepless in Seattle
o Something for Joey--I haven't seen it
o It’s a Wonderful Life--one of my favorite movies of all time
o You’ve Got Mail
o The Patriot
o Braveheart--one of my favorite movies of all time
o Beaches
o Steel Magnolias
o Life is Beautiful
o Savannah Smiles--I haven't seen it
o Titanic
o The Champ
o Elephant Man--I haven't seen it
o Saving Private Ryan
o City of Angels
o My Dog Skip--I haven't seen it
o My Girl
o The Notebook--I haven't seen it
o Return to Me
o Pay it Forward--I haven't seen it
o Castaway
o A Walk to Remember--I haven't seen it
o Ice Castles
o The Other Side of the Mountain--I haven't seen it
o Love Story
o Angels in the Outfield--I haven't seen it
o Where the Red Fern Grows--I haven't seen it
o Incredible Journey
o Hope Floats
o The Miracle of Cards
o Shadowlands--I haven't seen it

THE MEN SUGGESTED:

o The Passion of the Christ
o Brian’s Song
o The Green Mile
o Radio--I haven't seen it
o The Rookie
o Armageddon--I haven't seen it
o Simon Birch--I haven't seen it
o Color Purple--I haven't seen it
o My Life--I haven't seen it
o Schindlers List
o E.T. the Extra Terrestrial--I haven't seen it
o Ann of the Green Gables series
o The Parent Trap
o Jack Frost--I haven't seen it
o Field of Dreams
o John Q--I haven't seen it

Monday, October 11, 2004

This morning, a listener brought pans of fresh-out-of-the-oven French Toast Casserole to us for breakfast. It's the most delicious breakfast casserole I've ever had the pleasure of sinking my teeth into. Yes, fat- and calorie-wise it's probably the equivalent of Death by French Toast, but it was worth it!

Many thanks to Corrie for bringing it to us, and for sharing the recipe:

Melt 1 1/2 sticks of butter
Stir in 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon to make a paste substance
pour into bottom of a 9 1/2 X 13 pan
Cut crust off of bread (give crust to birds :))
Align bread in pan making 2 layers
In a separate bowl mix 2 cups of milk
1 tsp. of cinnamon
6 eggs
Pour mixture over bread in pan; cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes; till top has raised a bit and looks brown.

The adult Sunday School class my husband teachers occasionally has brunches, and you can bet this will be my next dish-to-pass.

Some excellent thoughts on marriage...

...in Real Live Preacher's blog: "If we want our relationship to grow and remain meaningful, then we must work at it. If we put our marriage on auto-pilot, we will give the very best of ourselves to the children and to our vocations, leaving nothing but tattered scraps for ourselves."

RLP's post today is all about things we already knew, but need to be reminded of now and then.

Time once again for Monday Madness...

I now answer the Monday Madness quiz, and as always I invite you to do the same...either on my comments section, or on your own blog!

Name 3 things....

1....your ideal salad has on it.--dark green lettuce (to go along with the iceberg lettuce I assume is the basis; cucumbers and tomatoes...but just three is not enough!
2....you do religiously in the morning.--pray, brush my teeth, have COFFEE.

3....you look forward to doing in your spare time.--Reading, going out with my husband, watching the occasional DVD--(this past weekend it was The Bone Collector with Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie...can't believe I've never seen it!

4....you've never done before, but think you will at some point in your life.--Go to Ireland (I hope!), write a book, learn to speak Spanish.

5....you love to do while on vacation.--See beautiful scenery or exciting new cities...visit with family members...sleep in!
6....you took pictures of in the last month.--Wow...I can't believe I didn't take any pictures at all during the past month. In fact, I haven't taken any pictures since August, and they were all of family members in Texas. See, I don't actually own a camera...I just buy the disposable ones. I really would like to get a good digital camera.

7....you have to do before the end of the day.--Voice-over work, try to squeeze a small nap in somewhere, throw together some supper for my family before heading to special services at my church tonight.

8....you like about your best friend.--I actually have two best friends, not counting my husband. They are my two sisters. I like so many things about them, it's hard to narrow it down to three, but I'll try:

--they are incredibly supportive.--they are amazingly generous.--they are HILARIOUS.

Friday, October 08, 2004

Yep, hard to believe, but Sunday, October 10th, marks the first anniversary of this blog.

Then, as now, I was just coming out of the radio station's Sharathon (this year's just wrapped up yesterday.) This is the very first thing I posted:

"Well...hello.

I guess this is my introduction to the world of blogging....a modern technological wonder that appears to be tailor-made for people like me, who can't seem to stop putting their thoughts on paper (or cyber-paper, as the case may be!)

I think this is going to be fun!"

And it has been. As I predicted, blogging proved to be a perfect fit for a person like me, who can't resist the compulsion to put our thoughts in writing. I've picked up a solid little bunch of fairly faithful readers, "met" some wonderful people, and discovered some awesome writers through their blogs.

I was racking my brain trying to remember exactly what prompted me to start my own blog. My friend Don Elbourne had suggested it to me about a year earlier, but I knew so little about blogging, I opted instead to seek his help in designing my own website, which he did with skill and grace.

But I think it was author Jeri Massi's blog that really prompted me to start my blogging journey. Jeri's blog is much different than mine--she's much more brainy, gutsy and controversial--but it was checking out the details of how her blog was presented that made me think I could have my own. One trip to Blogger and I quickly realized that even a computer moron like me could start and maintain a blog with relative ease.

As I look back on the year that has passed, I'm struck with an unexpected but obvious benefit of keeping an online diary. I now have a written record of the past year of my life. I blogged about most of it, good and bad.

From the Cubs barely missing the World Series, to my son's wedding, to my father's worsening illness and death, with a ton of discoveries of new book and music delights, annoyances and opinions thrown in for good measure, it's all there.

Yep, I enjoy blogging. So I guess I'll stick around a while.

And yes, hallelujah, it's FRIDAY!

And here are my answers to today's Friday Feast. Come on, don't be a spoilsport...answer them, in my comments section or on your own blog.

Appetizer What are your plans for the upcoming weekend?--To putter around the house, spend some quality time with my husband and daughter, go to church, and RELAX AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!

SoupWho was the last person you talked to on the telephone?--Hmm...well, if you don't count listeners who called Darren Marlar and me this morning, the answer would be Dwayne Barker of Barker Studios, the guy who is my sound engineer for a lot of the voice-over work that I do.

Salad Name a hobby that you've tried but eventually gave up for some reason.--Cross stitching. I was quite the cross-stitcher when I was pregnant with Elizabeth. I became fairly addicted to it. Somehow, though, I just lost interest.

Main Course What is the most important personality quality in a mate?--Patience.

Dessert Why is the sky blue (be creative with your answer)?--CREATIVE???? You're asking me to be creative when my brain is fried from three days of Sharathon? "God made it that way." That's as good as you're going to get. :)

And now, a personal pet peeve...

OK, maybe you think they clutter up the landscape during campaign season, but that's now excuse for people to steal and vandalize campaign yard signs.

It's your right to stick a sign in your yard proclaiming who you're going to vote for, even if I don't agree.

We got calls this morning from people whose Bush/Cheney signs have been uprooted, mangled, stolen, and/or taped over with Kerry/Edwards bumper stickers.

No matter what candidate you support, this just horks me off! I wish there was some kind of booby trap that would give a big electric shock to anyone who tried to do that. These are the same kind of jerks who steal Baby Jesus out of manger scenes. Get a life, people.

I'll admit I'm appalled by this P & G ad that's being used an example of the company's gay-friendliness, although I'm not sure just where this ad shows up in print.

Focus and AFA want Christians to boycott Crest and Tide, which are two of P & G's biggest-selling products.

Now, I have to admit, I've never been a big fan of boycotts as a tool for change or even protest. It seems to me that all the major corporations have so many subsidiaries and sub-companies, that if we started boycotting one thing, we would end up having to boycott everything. I have to wonder: how much good do boycotts really do? Do corporations really sit up and take notice when people boycott? Does it send a message that effects change?

I'm just asking.

I appreciate Focus on the Family and think they've done a wonderful job in their ministry...and if you want to join the boycott, more power to you. Actually, when I was at Wal-Mart the other day shopping for toothpaste, I consciously bought Colgate instead of Crest. There, I struck a blow! I'm sure P & G is reeling.

The radio forum raged for several days with discussion about the boycott, both pro and con.

Don on the radio forum supports the boycott, saying Christians have a responsiblity to proclaim the truth and call sin what it is: "You know that we will not have it easy by standing for Biblical values. The Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome when the Christian of that day had nothing to do with it. Such things happen to us as well. We need to be careful to proclaim the truth in love, but we must proclaim the truth.

"Even though non-believers don't understand this, it is loving to proclaim the truth."

But Chad thinks the boycott actually sends a bad message from Christians: "What difference does it make whether P & G 'supports' traditional marriage? P&G is not a person. It cannot get 'saved'. It is inherently tied to the 'city of man'.

"If I'm someone who is 'neutral' (and I'm not... I do not support homosexual marriage), the boycott and the attitude coming from the conservative Christians would be enough for me to support the repeal[of a Cincinnati city ordinance which prohibits the granting of special rights to homosexuals, the repeal of which P & G is reportedly supporting.] 'Whatever Focus has is something I don't want.' That's the loud & clear message being sent from our corner of the public square."

George points out: "You know, everytime you play a song by Steven Curtis Chapman, Steve Green, Andy Griffith, Twila Paris or Keith Green, you are also supporting Janet Jackson, Mick Jaggar, Courtney Love & Snoop Dogg? They are all on EMI record labels.

"Everytime you support Fox News, you also support the thoroughly disgusting anti-family, anti-traditional marriage FOX TV network. Everytime you buy a Zondervan Life Application Study Bible, you also support The Sun News Online, which features a different topless girl every day on their website. Those companies are all owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation."

And this from Harold: " Our Savior gave us both salt and light as examples for us to follow. Light
provides knowledge and identification and salt keeps back putrification.
Certainly some will be offended when the light is turned on...
Put some salt on a wound and it will sting! Salt and light serve their
purpose, only when put to use...Yes, it may cause you to lose a few listeners. Yes, some sinners will cuss
you out. But leave the light off, and the critturs will take over. Keep
the salt in the container and something will rot that could have been saved."

I confess, I haven't formulated a strong stance on the boycott. I still question whether they are effective at all.

Tuesday, October 05, 2004

Time only for a fly-by today, as we here at 101QFL and Radio91 are in the middle of our annual fundraising event.

You know, as much as I hate having to ask people for money, Sharathon is wonderful for one big reason: the listeners. I am constantly impressed and delighted at the kindness and generosity of the people who listen to these radio stations. Since listeners are in and out of the building during this three-day event, I get to put faces and names to the people that listen.

They tell us that this station's ministry makes a difference in their lives, sometimes in really amazing ways. That's just...awesome.

If you happen to live in the area, do pop in and say "hi" to us. We'd love to meet you!

Monday, October 04, 2004

Joy says she didn't get her weekend to-do list done; well, neither did I, because we went with friends and family to Galena on Saturday.

It turned out to be a nice enough day, but I had had misgivings about going because Saturday is the day I usually sleep in (after a week of rising at 4 AM) and then get laundry, housecleaning and shopping done and a leisurely pace.

Galena is quaint and charming, and teeming with shops full of lovely things. Lovely, high-priced things. (I didn't buy one single thing, except for a pop and a piece of really good fudge at a candy store.)

We did have a nice meal at a restaurant there, but there was one thing about it that annoyed me, even though I had already ordered water to drink. There were NO FREE REFILLS on the soft drinks. Now, I simply do NOT understand why a restaurant would charge for refills in this day and age. It seems to me that if a restaurant charges you for refills--especially when they serve the drinks in really small glasses!--they might as well just come out and say: "We are trying to rip you off." Just don't get it.

One thing I really like about it: it's one of the only places in Illinois that isn't absolutely flat--actually has hills high enough to ski on--not that I ski, but I do love hilly terrain. Actually, I love mountains, but there's nothing anything close to a mountain around here.
Liking my son's blog...

OK, I'm a bit biased because I gave birth to him, but I think my son Jonathan's blog is really good. I do enjoy his humor and his sense of the absurd. Yesterday he blogged about reasons to look forward to 2005, and I must say, I identify with several of those.

Didn't do Monday Madness today...

I guess I just wasn't in the mood. Besides, you're supposed to use the letters of the word AUTUMN to tell what you like about your favorite season. Autumn doesn't happen to be my favorite season (gasp!), although there are many things I love about it...and it seemed pointless to list the things I like about summer using the letters of the word autumn...

And you youngsters out there may be wondering about who those people are in the pic at the top of the page. If you know, and if you can guess why I put their picture there, say so in my comments section or e-mail me. :)

...thanks to some Internet problems! I'm going to try to take a moment later today to update here a bit, but it's likely my blogging will be spotty this week because 101QFL and Radio 91 will be having their Sharathon tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday, and I'll be on the air a lot more than usual.